On June 19 we celebrate Juneteenth, a holiday that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the US. This day, made even more important by current efforts to erase it, serves as a powerful reminder to honor the history and celebrate the accomplishments of Black Americans, while also acknowledging the ongoing fight for justice and equity. The books below honor the spirit of Juneteenth; foster reflection, conversation, and change; and create space for storytelling and community building.
Michael I. Days, Angela P. Dodson
America's founding was a contradictory one. When the Declaration of Independence was signed 250 years ago, it painted a beautiful vision of freedom and equality. But for the majority of our nation's history, America hasn't lived up to its founding vision of freedom for all. Even so, a deeper look at our history reveals key revolutionary moments in which the promise of America has been fully realized. We've Been Here Before draws together the stories of these movements as a powerful reminder that America has always been sustained and challenged by rebellion and activism.
Best known as the leader of the Harlem Renaissance, the celebrated poet and writer Langston Hughes believed in the power of art as resistance. What can we learn from his works today? Langston Hughes is one of the few American writers who consistently wrote about democracy from a joyous perspective, and My America explores how his works speak to the political anxieties and crises we face today.
Walter Earl Fluker—renowned scholar, preacher, and ethical leadership consultant—offers this powerful meditation on leadership, democracy, and spiritual resilience, using the metaphor of running. When we are still haunted by the ghosts of racism, violence, and exclusion, when fear threatens our communities and divides us, Wake Up Running calls us to become runners of a different kind. We must become those who run toward justice, peace, and one another. With courage, creativity, and compassion, we must reclaim democratic spaces where all people belong.
As we observe the 50th anniversaries of Alex Haley's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Roots (1976) and its landmark television adaptation (1977), journalist and storyteller Lucas L. Johnson II reflects on the enduring legacy of Haley's work through the voices of those it continues to move, including scholars, artists, genealogists, students, and original cast members like LeVar Burton and Ben Vereen. With vivid personal anecdotes, emotional tributes, and probing reflections, Remembering Roots shows how Haley's vision gave birth to a genealogy movement, inspired generations to reclaim their identities, and challenged America to confront its past.
Transformative change is often met with intense opposition, but we will not back down from the fight for social justice. Grounded in psychological research and cultural history, Weathering the Storm offers a blueprint for navigating personal and professional spaces. This guide is for anyone who has ever felt worn down by injustice, disillusioned by regression, or isolated in their advocacy. It offers validation, empowerment, and above all, the reminder that the fight for justice is a long arc that we will ultimately bend together.
The hand of ancestors in our affairs is undeniable. They exist all around us, motivating individuals and cultures. And yet, the United States is a nation that does not often use the word ancestor. But ancestors are as active here as they are in cultures that center ancestral presence—maybe more so. In Ancestors, William H. Lamar IV examines family ancestors, political leaders, and voices of Scripture, and draws from African and African American historical ancestors to show how they shape our identities and moral compasses.
People would like for you to believe protest is an ineffective tool for change, but history tells us that student activism has been a formidable force leading to substantive change throughout history. But how should students organize? With My People answers this fundamental and crucial question by bringing together ethnography and notes on community-building, taking readers on a yearlong journey from the front lines of Ferguson to undergraduate campus life at Saint Louis University.
I Love My People is a poetic tribute to African American history-makers and culture-shakers, complete with nostalgic photography and vibrant, playful illustration. In the vein of Gill Scott-Heron's poetry of the 1970s, author Kim Singleton invites us into call-and-response and brings a refreshing cadence to the page that captures every decade of Black joy in all its resilient, diverse, and excellent splendor. By the end, you'll be chanting Singleton's anthem, too: "I LOVE MY PEOPLE!"
An energizing tour of Black culture, history, and community, I Love My People is a joyous celebration in rhythmic poetry. Follow two children as they excitedly experience their neighborhood, family gatherings, Juneteenth and Kwanzaa celebrations, church community, and activities that parallel the accomplishments of influential contemporary and historical Black icons. Kim Holt's warm, vibrant illustrations bring each scene to life, infusing each declaration of awe and respect for the Black community with joy and verve.
This book is published and sold by our sister imprint, Beaming Books.
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